Violin tail-piece



C. TINDALL 171011111131111, PIECE.

(No' Model.)

No. 441,716. Patenteavne. 2, 1890.

Y 1 a f 0m/e 311170121? 9 "E www UNITED STATES CHARLES TINDALL, OF UTICA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO NICHOLAS MOOTZ, OF OTIS, KANSAS.

VIOLIN TAIL-PIECE..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 441,716, dated December 2, 1890.

Application filed April 7, 1890.

To til whom it may concern.-

' Be it known that I, CHARLES T1NDALL,a citizen of the United States, residing at Utica, in the county of Ness and State ot Kansas, have invented a new and useful Violin Tail- Piece, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to improvements in tail-pieces for violins; and among the objects in view are to providea chin-rest and means for adjustably mountingthe same upon the tail-piece and connecting the latter with the body of the violin, and to provide means for conveniently taking up the surplus strings, thereby avoiding winding said surplus upon thetuningpegs or permitting' the same to hang loosely.

Vith the above objects in view the invention consists in certain features of construction hereinafter specified, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of a portion of a violin provided with a tail-piece constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail in transverse section through the chin-rest. Fig. 4 is a similar view in transverse section in front of the winding-spools. Fig. 5 is a detail in perspective of the tail-piece-connectng hook.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 represents the violin, 2 the bridge, 3 the strings, and 4 the tail-stud, all of theusual construction.

3* represents the tail-piece, provided upon its under side with arecess 4*, through which there extends transversely a pin 5.

6 represents a'sheet-metal connection designed to be arranged between the tail-piece and stud, and the same is ot L shape, terminating at one end in a hook 7, for engaging the pin 5, and at its opposite end in an eye S, for taking over the stud 4, and inv this manner it will be observed the tail-piece is removably connected with the violin.

The tail-piece 3* upon its upper surface and nearits rear end is provided with a dovetailed rib 9, extending longitudinally for a short distance along the tail-piece, and mounted upon the rib is a chin-rest 10, the under Serial No. 346,928. (No model.)

portion of which is provided with a dovetailrecess 11 adapted to snugly fit the rib 9. The chin -rest 10 has its upper face concaved, and by the construction just described is adapted to be adjusted longitudinally upon the rib, so as to take under the chin ot the performer at a convenient place. The forward end of the tail-piece is provided with a series of slots or openings 12, four in number, one for each string, and the two inner slots extend rearwardly some distance farther than the out-er side slots, and at their rear ends are widened, so as to take in rear of the ends of the side slots. The end of the tail-piece at points opposite the slots is provided with grooves 13, and the opposite side edges of the slots are provided with upwardly-projecting bearing studsor ears 14, arranged in pairs, the two front pairs being in advance of the two rear pairs. In each of the pairs of bearingears are journaled the axles 15 of windingspoois 16, the bodies of which are provided with transverse perforations 17. Each of the axles or shafts 15 is provided with small ratchet-wheels 18, and in rear of said ratchetwheels there are located perforated bearingears 19, in each of which is mounted a pivotedlever or pawl 20, spring-pressed upwardly in rear of its pivots by means of coiled springs 21, whereby the front ends of the levers are maintained in engagement with their respective ratchet-wheels.

In Stringing the instrument the rear ends of the string are passed through the perforations 17 of their respective spools and said spools turned until all surplus is taken up, after which the strings are passed once around the end bars 18 at the front end ot each/of the openings 12 of the tail-piece, and the op* posite ends of the strings are connected to the tuning-pegs in the usual manner, only sufficient string being left to wind around the pegs a sufiicient number of times to properly connect the strings with the pegs. By this arrangement it will be apparent that all surplus of thestrin gs is neatly wound upon their respective spools, and the spools are maintained against retrograde movement by means of the locking-levers or pawls.

In liberating the strings for the spool it is IOS simply necessary to depress the rear end of that lever locking that spool to which the string is attached, and aitera sufficientquam tity has been removed or unwound the lever is released and the spool is relocked against any further paying out.

The tail-piece may be constructed of wood,

. sheet metal, or of any other material desired.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is- 1. The combination, with a violin having a stud projecting from one end, of a tail-piece having a cross-pin near its rear end and an L-shaped connecting device terminating at one end in a hook for engaging the crossepin and at its opposite end in an eye for engaging the stud, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with the tail-piece of l in its bottom and adapted to slide upon and snugly fit the rib, substantially as specified.

5. A tail-piece for violins, having a series of longitudinallydisposed slots, each of which is provided with a pair of opposite bearings and terminates at its front end close to the front end of the tail-piece, forming a transverse bar adapted to be encircled by the strings, the two inner slots spread at their rear ends and taking in rear of the rear ends of the shorter side slots, in combination with spools mounted in each of the slots, the shafts of the spools being journaled in the bearings, ratchet-wheels mounted on the shafts, and pawls pivoted in rear of the ratchet-Wheels and engaging the same and terminating beyond their pivots in lever portions, and coiled springs mounted under the rear ends of the pawls for maintaining the same in engagement with the ratchet, substantially as speciiied.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own Ihave hereto ailixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES TINDAL'L.

Witnesses:

WILsoN TAYLOR, D. A. BRAKE. 

